Enigmatic Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) declines in the Netherlands have been attributed to the recently described fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bs). Since 2010, the S. salamandra population at Bunderbos, Netherlands has decreased by 96%. An Martel et al’s recent Science paper
showed that some US salamander species are highly susceptible to Bs,
confirmed its occurrence in the pet trade, and noted that it has not yet
been detected in the US. Large numbers of live salamanders are legally
imported into the US each year for the pet trade. In the first 6 months
of 2014, for example, 3,445 fire salamanders imported into the US,
mostly from Slovenia.
